Kids Count in Nebraska Report Released

Released earlier this month by Voices for Children, the Kids Count in Nebraska Report is the most comprehensive source of data on children in the state.

Chrissy Tonkinson, Research Coordinator at Voices for Children, says this year the report looked at demographic information and projected that data forward to 2050.

Tonkinson says by 2050, 21% of the population will be 65 and older, more of the population will be ethnically diverse and an increasing number of individuals will live in the larger cities.

She says because of these changes, some recommendations were suggested.

"We need to continue to take care of our grandparents but as that population grows, we need to make sure our kids are being taken care of as well. We also need to increase our focus on reducing disparities for children of color. Kids of color in the state experience disparities in many areas, everything from prenatal care, higher rates of poverty, lower performance in schools and several other areas as well. We need to focus on reducing these disparities for these kids.”

Tonkinson says other recommendations include incentivizing job development in rural communities so people stay in smaller counties and work as well as providing increased support for children in non-traditional family structures.